On June 15, 2026, a group of Virginia Ice Sports leaders visited the Richmond Ice Box. The Ice Box was designed by JLG Architects, the firm we have chosen for the North Fork Ice Arena project. The newly constructed Richmond Ice Box has been an excellent model for thinking about the design and operation of the North Fork project, and talking to the group’s leaders has been productive. We think that once the Ice Box opens, we should be able to get some accurate construction costs from the group. It looks like the Ice Box will be open for visit to the public by July 13.
Tom Andrews, the Richmond Ice Box superintendent, kindly gave us a tour of the Richmond Ice Box facilities, along with some of his staff. We also met the company President, and Chris, the General Manager.
At the time of our visit, we saw the concrete floor of the rink, but they have begun making ice in the time since. They have seating on one side for 350 with standing room for another 50-150. There is more than adequate storage space. They have two large team rooms (about 950 square feet each) and four smaller locker rooms with “Jack and Jill” bathrooms. The referees’ room is big enough for eight, and there is also a coaches and owners locker room. There is more than adequate admin and meeting room spaces including a very larger “party room.” At the entry is a ticket window and a check-in office adjacent to one of the four TV monitors displaying locker room assignments and other facility activities. From the large lobby with windows to the ice arena is a good size snack bar, a skate rental area with 500 skates and 3 skate sharpeners, and a large pro shop.
We enjoyed connecting with the Ice Box leadership and staff and look forward to visiting them again soon with a larger group in July. To learn more about their programs, feel free to visit their website.